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Author Richard B. Wright, shown winning the Giller Prize for fiction in 2001, has become a member of the Order of Canada. ((Aaron Harris/Canadian Press))

Novelist Richard Wright, author of Clara Callan, and Paul Shaffer, music director for David Letterman's late night talk show, are to be awarded the Order of Canada.

They were among40 Canadians named by Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean on Friday as members of the Order of Canada.

Two prominent arts administrators will alsoreceive the honour — Jeffrey Spalding, the curator, artist and now chief executive of Calgary's Glenbow Museum, and Mallory Gilbert, who served 34 years as general manager of the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto.

St. Catharine's, Ont.,-based Wright won both the Giller Prize and a Governor General's Award for his 2001 novel Clara Callan and istheauthorof 10 novels, including Adultery and October.

Shaffer, born in Thunder Bay, Ont., was music director for the 1972 version of Godspell in Toronto, then became music director for Saturday Night Livefrom 1975-80.

He has appeared in movies such as This is Spinal Tap and Scrooged and been music director with Letterman since 1982.

Other new members of the Order of Canada from the world of arts and entertainment include:

Bruce Pullan, music director of the Vancouver Bach Choir.

John Barron, a music educator from Komoka, Ont., who in 1985 co-founded the Amabile Youth Singers , a group of London, Ont.-based choirs.

Carol Gay Bell, a Regina actress, director and producer who founded the Saskatchewan Express Musical Theatre Studio, directs the Saskatchewan Roughrider cheerleadersand was producer/director for ceremonies during the Saskatchewan Centennial in 2005.

Marcien Ferland, a La Salle, Man., composer and conductor of choral works. He was a founder of the choir Chorale des intrépides and is a co-founder of Mélo-Mani, a federation of the French choirs in Manitoba.

In addition to these new members, internationally renowned visual artist Michael Snow has been promoted to become a Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest level.

Dancer and choreographer Marie Chouinard of Montreal, Vancouver photographer Jeff Wall, veteran NFB filmmaker Grant Munro, Quebec-based poet Douglas Gordon and Donat Lacroix, known for preserving Acadian culture, have been promoted to become officers of the Order of Canada.